Safety seat



Jan. 17, 1939. v. B. STEWART SAFETY SEAT Filed June 4, 1937 V.2 sheets-sheet 1 IXe/"H072 Sgh/aff ATTO: N EY Jam0 17, 1939. v. B. STEWART 2,144,233

SAFETY SEAT 4 Filed June 4, 193'?l 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in re-` silient chairs, and particularly concerns that class employed in aeroplanes.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a chair adapted for use in aeroplanes having means incorporated therewith to effect a maximum amount of safety in case of accidents.

Another object of my invention is to provide a chair having means which may be adjusted to Y the needs `and requirements of each individual passenger, thereby affording a maximum amount of comfort.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, appended claims, and annexed drawings.

An illustrative form of practicing my invention is set forth inthe accompanying drawings wherein like characters designate like parts throughout the several views.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front View of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken on a line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a planview of the blank from which the base or bottom of the seat is formed.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view illustrating the mechanism for adjusting the back.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional View of the resilient back member.

According to the present invention, my chair comprises a substantial and rigid base member or bottom ID formed with front and rear legs Il and I2, the legs being secured to the floor within a cabin of an aeroplane as at I3. The sides of the chair, between the legs, base, and floor of the cabin, are enclosed by side panels 9, connected to said legs and base. A seat I4 is adapted to 4o be positioned upon the base I0 and is composed of flexible material, preferably sponge rubber, the walls of which are inflated by air induced therein through a suitable Valve I5.

Arm frames I6, having ends secured to the legs I2, extend upwardly to form curved arm rests l1, the curved ends of which are secured to the base lll, as at I8. The arm frames are provided with soft resilient material I9, preferably spomged rubber, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. 50 An adjustable back 2l) comprises a pair of cushions 2| and 22. The cushions being constructed of soft pliable material, such as sponge rubber or the like, the walls of the cushion 22 adapted to be inflated by air, induced therein through a suitable valve 23. The cushions 2| and 22 are positioned adjacent an intermediate protective member 24 adapted to iit over a pair of parallel spaced spring steel plates 25, the lower portions of said plates graduallyincreasing in thickness in a downward direction. The upper sections are of a high degree of flexibility and are disconnected to receive therebetween, for the purposes hereinafter described, additional spring plates 2t which serve to reinforce the structure; The lower ends of the plates are connected together and have formed thereon a plurality of depending ears 21 projecting through and working in apertures 23 formed in the base Ill. The ears 21 are provided with segmental-shaped slots 3B having radially disposed faces for the reception of a similarly shaped locking bar 3l provided with locking faces 32 and 33. The ends of said bar extend beyond the edges of said plates and are journaled in openings formed in the side panels 9 for pivotally supporting the back, as illustrated in Figures l and 3. The faces'32 and 33 of the bar are adapted to engage the under face of the base, between the depending lugs, to limit the forward or backward movement of said back. A spring 34, secured to one of the legs I2, engages a depending lip 35 formed at one end of the bar 3l and urges the back rearwardly in relation to the seat.V The lugs are provided with ratchet teeth 36 formed on their inner faces for engage ment with teeth-engaging sections of a resilient pawl member 31 secured to the under side of the base IU, as shown in Fig. 3.

Interposed between the pawl member 31 and the base I0 is a pawl operating bar 3B for disengaging the pawl member from said ratchet teeth. The bar, which is relatively flat in cross section, is journaled in the side panels 9 and operated by means of the handle 39.

A casing 4U of suitable material covers the cushions 2l and 22, holds them together and is secured to the intermediate protective member 24.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the back 20 may beadjusted to any desired inclination to suit the needs of each individual passenger. The preferred manner of adjusting the back is to release the pawl member 31 from engagement with the ratchet teeth 36 on the lugs 21, move the back 20 rearwardly until the face 32 of the bar 21 engages the under face of the base; the pawl member is then released to permit engagement with the teeth. At this point in the adjusting operation, the passenger is seated within the chair and reclines against the back, the back is then adjusted to effect the most comfortable position for the passenger. Should the back, due

to the weight of the passenger, be too flexible, the cushions2l and 22 are removed and a suitable number of additional spring plates 26 inserted between the plates 25. Should a reverse condition prevail, for example, the back being too stiff, plates 26 may be removed. The spring 34 while normally urging the back rearwardly also serves to hold the ratchet teeth 36 in engagement with the pawl member 31 to secure the back in the desired position. The air inated cushions I4 and 22 readily adjust themselves to the posture of each individual passenger.

In those cases, involving an accident, where a f passenger is catapulted from another chair 1ocated in the rear against the back 20, said back Will move forward until the face 33 on the bar 3| abuts the lower face of the base I0. This action coupled with the resilient nature of the cushion 2D will greatly lessen and absorb the shock, thus minimizing injuries.

It is to be distinctly understood that many changes and modications of the form herein described and illustrated may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A resilient chair, comprising, a seat, a detachable back having a plurality of spaced resilient plates connected at one end and terminating in hinge members, a locking device carried by said seat and pivoting said back to said seat, said device coacting with said members to limit the movement of said back relative to said seat, said plates resiliently yieldable to absorb impact transmitted to said back to preclude deformation of said locking device when actuation of the latter is arrested by movement of said back, and auxiliary plates interposed between said first mentioned plates for governing the yieldability of said rst mentioned plates.

2. A resilient chair, comprising, a seat, a back detachably connected to said seat and having a plurality of spaced resilient plates connected together at one end and terminating in hinge members, a bar carried by said seat and coacting with said members to limit the movement of said back relative to said seat, said bar constituting the pivot connection between said back and said seat, detachable plates interposed between said rst mentioned plates for regulating the yieldability of the latter, and a latch engaging said hinge members and coacting therewith to maintain said back against movement in one direction and per mit movement in another direction, said plates resiliently yieldable to absorb impact transmitted to said back to preclude deformation of said members and said bar when movement of said back in said last mentioned direction is arrested by said bar.

VERNON B. STEWART. 

